Most disappointing artist/band?

smccull · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 01:22 am »

OK, I have to say I LOOOVE Lucinda. "West" was not her best effort, but it has some really nice tunes, especially "Fancy Funeral" which is about her mother's death. Very sweet and tender! "Ramblin'" is the blues album and it's clearly one of her best. Also "Essence", which for me is the crown jewel.

I like Wilco a lot and have to agree on "Being There". Terrific CD for someone who wants to check them out. Nothing's come close recently except for maybe "Summerteeth". Didn't love "Yankee Foxtrot Hotel", which everyone raved about. If I want soundscape, I'm going with "Kid A" by Radiohead, the 21st Century's version of Pink Floyd.

As for most disappointing? I'd have to agree that I never quite got any of Tom Waits' stuff after "The Heart of Saturday Night". I also don't get all the adoration poured onto Tony Bennet. If you want to rediscover retro sounds, skip Bennet and Buble and go straight to Sinatra. Doesn't get any better than that! But then again, our modern society is on the lookout for the cool, undiscovered gem and I guess Tony B. fulfills that.

I can't stand modern country. Reminds me of the hair band days, with maybe less soul. If you want soulful country check out Lucinda or Ryan Adams (who's as much rock as country these days) or Neko Case. These artists have the sensibility that country music was built on. And the pipes!

jackman · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 03:09 am »

Quote from: smccull on 28 Dec 2007, 01:22 am

OK, I have to say I LOOOVE Lucinda. "West" was not her best effort, but it has some really nice tunes, especially "Fancy Funeral" which is about her mother's death. Very sweet and tender! "Ramblin'" is the blues album and it's clearly one of her best. Also "Essence", which for me is the crown jewel.

I like Wilco a lot and have to agree on "Being There". Terrific CD for someone who wants to check them out. Nothing's come close recently except for maybe "Summerteeth". Didn't love "Yankee Foxtrot Hotel", which everyone raved about. If I want soundscape, I'm going with "Kid A" by Radiohead, the 21st Century's version of Pink Floyd.

As for most disappointing? I'd have to agree that I never quite got any of Tom Waits' stuff after "The Heart of Saturday Night". I also don't get all the adoration poured onto Tony Bennet. If you want to rediscover retro sounds, skip Bennet and Buble and go straight to Sinatra. Doesn't get any better than that! But then again, our modern society is on the lookout for the cool, undiscovered gem and I guess Tony B. fulfills that.

I can't stand modern country. Reminds me of the hair band days, with maybe less soul. If you want soulful country check out Lucinda or Ryan Adams (who's as much rock as country these days) or Neko Case. These artists have the sensibility that country music was built on. And the pipes!

Hey, I agree with 99.9% of everything you said and will have to give "West" another listen. I love Essence and World Without Tears (along with Car Wheels and Ramblin) and still include Lucinda as one of my favorite artists. Also, your comments on Wilco and Radiohead hit the nail on the head, IMO. Both of these bands put on excellent shows. I saw Radiohead before I knew who they were. They opened up for REM about ten years ago and blew REM off the stage. I have been a fan ever since. The 21st century's version of Pink Floyd is very accurate in my opinion (particularly OK Computer).

Lastly, Ryan Adams is as close to Country as I get. I caught his performance at Metro in Chicago a couple years ago (he used to be with Alligator Records) and he was amazing. No band, just Ryan with his acoustic guitar and a piano. He was very drunk (or high) during the performance but he never missed a note. His singing, playing and overall performance was amazing. One of my favorite shows.

It's good to know there are other people who share my twisted and often criticised views! Also, it's cool how some of the most disappointing artists/bands can be other people's favorites at the same time. That's what keeps things interesting, I guess.

Cheers,

J

drphoto · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 03:40 am »

Ryan Adams shows can be a total crap shoot. He's known to be a tempermental jerk and appears to have a drinking problem. I saw him here in Louisville w/ his touring band (the Cardinals) and it was unbelievably good. He closed the show by sitting down solo at a piano and doing this super slow version of the Stones "Brown Sugar". Fantastic....should be on a record.

So I keep yammerin on about how great it was to my girlfriend, and drag her to see him in Indy last summer. Horrible. Came out way late, and he'd fallen in love w/ his own guitar playing and jammed way too much, along fiddling w/ his damn effects pedals for minutes at a time. Plus, it was all just, well, sloppy.

Speaking of jamming, I've never gotten bands like the Grateful Dead. I used to tell this joke that goes....What did the one deadhead say to the other when the dope ran out? "Man......this music...sucks!"

Grover · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:09 am »

Quote

sbrtoy wrote:
I would also have to put Mark Knopfler up there...he has had some good solo music, but nothing close to what Dire Straights was...and Kill to Get Crimson was a huge letdown.

I've got Kill to Get Crimson and it's growing on me quite nicely. I've found the secret to enjoying the CD is to start with Track #5. The first three or four tracks will put you to sleep long before you get to the better stuff on this recording. But having said that, it's not Dire Straits but still enjoyable on its own mellow merits.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:21 am »

Mark Knopfler....less singing....more guitar playing...he needs to do an instrumental album.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:33 am »

Quote from: hmen on 27 Dec 2007, 07:51 pm

NEIL YOUNG.
I took my girlfriend, who is a longtime Neil Young fanatic to see him in concert last week. The first set was his band playing behind his wife, who did a full set of totally forgetable country western songs. The second set was the "acoustic part of the program. He staggered out onto the stage visibly drunk, started chugging beer in front of the audience (some of whom were very impressed by this) and then sang five songs. Between each song he would walk around the stage like he was looking for something and then chug on the beer some more to the very enthusiastic applause of some of the audience.
After another intermission, the band came out for the "electric set". During the first song Neil decided to play a "guitar solo". The solo consisted of him playing one note repeatedly while he strutted around the stage like Van Halen for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, he had some idiot on stage painting a picture of a buffalo while his wife and the other "backup singer" sat with their backs to the audience drinking and watching the paint. Occasionally they would walk over to a mic and "sing" a couple of notes. During the next song he played a solo where he just banged on the guitar with his open palm. This time the solo seemed to last about 15 minutes. I looked around and noticed that people were starting to walk out. My girlfriend then told me that she wanted to leave. Her first words when we got outside were "I hate Neil Young".
It was the most unprofessional, self indulgant performance I've ever seen.

Wow.....sounds like Neil is taking pointers from Amy Winehouse....

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #26 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:38 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 28 Dec 2007, 06:33 am

...sounds like Neil is taking pointers from Amy Winehouse....

You're starting to sound like Nathan.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #27 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:40 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 28 Dec 2007, 06:38 am

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 28 Dec 2007, 06:33 am
...sounds like Neil is taking pointers from Amy Winehouse....

You're starting to sound like Nathan.

That might be a good thing John....

MaxCast · « **Reply #28 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 09:35 am »

Quote

What did the one deadhead say to the other when the dope ran out? "Man......this music...sucks!"

Good one, doc.

martyo · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 10:56 am »

Quote

Speaking of jamming, I've never gotten bands like the Grateful Dead. I used to tell this joke that goes....What did the one deadhead say to the other when the dope ran out? "Man......this music...sucks!"

Too bad you didn't get it. On another thread a poster is asking me if I have any shows on Cd to share, that he only saw them a few times but commented on the quality of the sound, clean, clear, and powerful. They were cutting edge in many aspects.

Quote

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 28 Dec 2007, 06:21 am
Mark Knopfler....less singing....more guitar playing...he needs to do an instrumental album.

Couldn't agree more.

hadden · « **Reply #30 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 01:08 pm »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 28 Dec 2007, 06:21 am

Mark Knopfler....less singing....more guitar playing...he needs to do an instrumental album.

But he is such a great storyteller, writer. I love the way he sings, though I know he doesn't have much of a singing voice in the technical sense.

ecramer · « **Reply #31 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 01:20 pm »

Don't be bad mouthing my Country Cadillac now

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 28 Dec 2007, 12:59 am

Quote from: Philistine on 28 Dec 2007, 12:50 am
If I ever get the urge to buy a Ford F150, and play Country Music, I've told my wife to slap me around the head

She otta shoot you in the head for that.

bostonaudi · « **Reply #32 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 03:33 pm »

Quote from: mjosef on 27 Dec 2007, 08:13 pm

You can add Wilco to that status, at least for me. I expected more based on their 'near' legendary status and recommendations on the listening now thread. I only have their latest, on which my impression is based.

I like Patricia Barber, however I only have two or three of her albums. Diana Krall reminds me of a cocktail artist you hear at those high class bars. And I did see her live once paired with Cassandra Wilson of all persons, not a good contrast in her(DK) favor at all. Can't remember who opened.

The Bad Plus, I always thought was overated from the very first album.

I'll second that! The recording quality of this last LP from Wilco is really bad too. I bought the LP that came with the CD, and both sound terrible to me. Supposedly mastered by Stan Ricker too, but he must have had earplugs on when he mastered this record as the tone of the sound is not pleasant. A 1957 recording from the Chicago symphony sounds one hell of a lot better.

ted_b · « **Reply #33 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 03:43 pm »

I am a huge Wilco fan; think their YHF is a masterpiece, and love Summerteeth almost as much. Kicking Television is a one great (or really two) live album. I have tickets for their local smaller venue appearance in February! But...I can't yet get into Sky Blue Sky. Just does nothing for me. Weird.

acresm22 · « **Reply #34 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 04:10 pm »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 28 Dec 2007, 06:21 am

Mark Knopfler....less singing....more guitar playing...he needs to do an instrumental album.

Oh lonewolfny, them are fighting words!!

Another recent thread asked what you would buy without hearing it first...anything by Mark Knopfler is top-o-the-list for me, and at least one other AC inmate.
I would agree that his early Dire Straits singing voice, with the many grunts and groans, was a bit affected, but his recent solo albums are a different thing entirely.

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #35 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 05:17 pm »

The award for consistently lousy sound quality has to go to Bruce Springsteen. Magic could have been magic if he could find a producer or engineer with good ears. It sounds like a car radio mix. This guy can afford anything. Why doesn't he spring for good sound?

mcullinan · « **Reply #36 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 05:53 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 28 Dec 2007, 03:43 pm

I am a huge Wilco fan; think their YHF is a masterpiece, and love Summerteeth almost as much. Kicking Television is a one great (or really two) live album. I have tickets for their local smaller venue appearance in February! But...I can't yet get into Sky Blue Sky. Just does nothing for me. Weird.

I like WILCO too. And agree with you on the favorites. The latest album is too slow and uninteresting.
Mike

hoosier21 · « **Reply #37 on:** 28 Dec 2007, 06:21 pm »

Quote from: mcullinan on 28 Dec 2007, 05:53 pm

Quote from: ted_b on 28 Dec 2007, 03:43 pm
I am a huge Wilco fan; think their YHF is a masterpiece, and love Summerteeth almost as much. Kicking Television is a one great (or really two) live album. I have tickets for their local smaller venue appearance in February! But...I can't yet get into Sky Blue Sky. Just does nothing for me. Weird.

I like WILCO too. And agree with you on the favorites. The latest album is too slow and uninteresting.
Mike

I second this, horrible sounding CD

jqp · « **Reply #38 on:** 29 Dec 2007, 01:55 am »

Amy Winehouse - when I first heard some MP3s (someone wanted to get some of her music from the internet) - intriguing, I thought. Ever since then...what a complete waste of a talent, and a disgust-inducing concept.

Neil Young is such a frustrating artist. An amazing singer/songwriter in his earlier years, and some totally inconsistent products and performance in his later years. I finally bought Broken Arrow after many years of listening to CSNY Deja Vu, Harvest, Comes a Time, After the Gold Rush, Rust Never Sleeps, Harvest Moon, Unplugged. Broken Arrow is garbage to me, like Monet or Van Gogh throwing paint on a canvas to express themselves. Some of his other CDs are just as bad. And playing one note for 10 minutes kind of worked in the 70's for Down by the River, but it's not something to trade on.

Skynyrd · « **Reply #39 on:** 29 Dec 2007, 03:15 am »

White Stripes: Icky Thump
Terrible album, and I like everything else by the White Stripes. Lives up to its name.

Skynyrd